Gas torch



Sem 29, l970 l J. D. REE-:SE l

GAS TORCH Filed Oct. 18, 1968 lNVENToR.

United States Patent O 3,531,228 GAS TORCH James D. Reese, 11937 Ave. 274, Visalia, Calif. 93277 Filed Oct. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 768,759 Int. Cl. F23d 11/44; F23c 13/24 U.S. Cl. 431-202 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A gas llame torch which lends itself admirably well for outdoor use when erected on a front lawn as a visitors welcoming light, as a flower garden illuminating and display light or as a patio ornamenting and utility light. It may be and preferably is a permanent adaptation and is characterized by a gas pipe which is staked in the ground and provides a standard. A gas emitting cap on the upper end provides a burner or tip and is equipped with systematically attached V-shaped rods which provide uniquely performing upwardly and downwardly flaring fingers. Gas is supplied to the gas pipe from a suitable source to a valved fitting on the pipe.

This invention relates to lawn and walkway illuminating outdoor lamp posts such as use remote supplied gas or electricity for illumination and certain types of which function to generate a yellow flickering flame and those which are popularly known as Tiki torches.

As will be hereinafter more clearly evident the gas torch construction herein disclosed pertains to one which lends itself to diversified out-of-doors use and which is stable and safe and is designed and adapted for permanent installation if and when desired.

Briefly, the standard comprises a suitable length of gas pipe externally screwthreaded at the upper end and internally screwthreaded at the lower end. A screw cap is fitted atop the upper end and has a restricted orifice and provides a burner-type jet for the gas which when lighted produces the desired yellow flickering flame. A screwthreaded neck on an anchoring stake is screwed into the bottom and the bottom portion of the pipe and stake is firmly anchored in the ground. A controllable valved fitting is carried by the lower end portion to supply the charge of gas and to accommodate a hose, underground pipe or the like which is connected thereto and delivers the gas from the house supply or bottled gas whenever necessary or desired. The torch lighting effect is achieved by novel head means carried by the screw cap. The head means is made up of a plurality of vertically disposed substantially spaced parallel V-shaped rods. These rods are arranged so that the bent portions are joined with the rim of thecap. The lower diverging portions provide a sort of a canopy. The upper outwardly diverging and flaring portions define guard fingers which encompass the controllable flickering and licking llame.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of con-struction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. l is a view in side elevation of an outdoor gas lighted torch constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention and showing the same erected for use.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view with parts in section and elevation and taken approximately on the plane of the `section line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view comparable with the scale shown in FIG. 2.

3,531,228 Patented Sept. 29, 1970 The upright or support member is herein designated conveniently as either a post or standard. For the most part it has been designated as a standard 6, Specifically 1t comprises an appropriate length of pipe specifically designated as a gas pipe and whose lower end portion 8 is internally screw-threaded as at 10 to accommodate a screwthreaded neck 12 on the upper end of a tapered and ribbed anchor or stake 14. The neck is plugged into the screwthreads as brought out in FIG. 2 and the portion 8 and anchor are forced for stability into the ground as shown in FIGS. l and 2. The upper end portion of the pipe is externally screwthreaded at 16 to accommodate screwthreads on the rim or periphery 18 of a screw cap. This screw cap is centrally provided with a restricted orifice 20. Thus constructed and mounted the cap provides that which may be described as a burner tip by way of which the gas issues to provide a flickering llame suggested in FIG. 2. This part may be of any appropriate length and the portion 22 thereof is provided with a gas delivery fitting 24. The nipple portion 26 is fitted through an opening and is communicable with the hollow portion 28. The body portion of the fitting is constructed to accommodate an appropriate hand-operated valve 30. The screwthreaded neck portion 32 to the right in FIG. 2 serves to accommodate a coupling 34 which in turn functions to join the gas supply hose or line 36 with the fitting. While the fitting and supply line are shown above the ground it is obvious that in actual practice and for a more permanent installation these features, at least the supply line can be embedded in the ground.

The head at the top is expressly constructed to provide the aforementioned flickering torch light effect. This head is accordingly serviceable and also ornamental. Experience has shown that the multiple rod construction shown is and has proved out to be an innovation. To the ends desired, the over-all head provides an upper set of outwardly flaring fingers and a lower set of downwardly outwardly flaring fingers. More specifically identical rods are employed and each rod is of V-shaped form and the upper finger in each instance is denoted by the numeral 38 and the lower finger by the numeral 40. The median bent portion is designated at 42. The respective bent portions are welded or otherwise secured at equidistant circumferentially spaced points to the rim of a cap so that the upwardly and outwardly flaring or diverging fingers provide the upper flame guard 44 and the lower lingers provide the lower depending canopy-like imitation guard 46. These guards provide the unique appearance and effect more clearly evident from FIG. l.

In setting forth the general structural and functional nature of this head means, that is, broadly stated, the upper fingered construction defines a fanned out flame guard wherein the flame is encaged, as it were, and wherein the fingers tend to deflect the flame and provide an ever-changing shadow casting result. The fanned out fingers of the depending canopy provide a novel umbrella effect. It follows that conjointly the upper and lower components 44 and 46 provide the desired design as well as the utility features.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For residential outdoors use on a lawn, adjacent a flower garden, near a patio or porch, a limited area illuminating torch comprising a vertically elongated standard having a screw cap with a restrictive gas jetting orifice screwed on an upper end thereof and having a lower end which is capable of being anchored in the ground or other foundation at a place of vantage and also having an upper end equipped with an illuminable head, and a source of light protectively embodied within the confines of said head, said head being ornamental and said source of light comprising a variable as well as a fluctuating flickering flame, said head embodying a first set of upstanding circumferentially spaced clustered fingers attached to said screw cap and providing a flame encompassing guard, said fingers being arranged so that they diverge upwardly and flare outwardly to intercept the light rays in a manner to achieve a shadowy and light blinking effect.

2. For residential out-of-doors night use on and complemental to a front lawn, adjacent the broader of a bed of flowers, near a patio or porch, or a predetermined area, an area lighting torch comprising, in combination, a vertically elongated gas pipe constituting a standard and having a screw cap Screwed on an upper end and an, 20

supply line communicatively joined to said fitting, said head being serviceable as well as distinctively ornamental, said head comprising a plurality of elongated V-shaped rods having their apical bent portions afixed to the peripheral portion of said screw cap at circumferentially spaced points, said rods providing an upper set of upwardly diverging and outwardly flaring fingers, and also providing a lower set of downwardly outwardly flaring fingers, said upwardly flaring fingers providing an attractive flickering flame guard and said downwardly flaring fingers providing an ornamental canopy.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 410,407 9/1889 Fitzgerald 431-202 515,625 2/1894 Stott 239-276 X 647,159 4/1900 Seyewetz 431-35'3 1,271,498 7/1918 Blanchard 431-353 X 3,162,236 12/1964 Williams 431-202 3,260,465 771966 Grumbein Z39-288.3 X 3,306,338 2/1967 Wright et al. 431-202 CARROLL B. DORITY, IR., Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

